Special Delivery
by Shade the Hero
Summary: Strife Delivery Service has become a very successful business and more and more important clients are calling in every day, however one Delivery trumps them all and it'll take help from all of Cloud's friends to make sure the Delivery arrives safely.
1. Hero, Delivery Boy, Father - wait, WHAT!

_I really wanted to wait and upload this on Cloud's Birthday, since it is my birthday gift to him. But sadly, I can be as impatient as Yuffie sometimes. It also was suppose to be a one-shot, but thanks to a sudden plot bunny that just appeared out of no where and went crazy on me I ended up forming a very nice multi-chapter story. Not sure how many chapters yet, but it should be fun. _

_Final Fantasy VII and all related characters belong to Square Enix_

* * *

**Special Delivery**

No matter how many times he tried to tell himself otherwise, he knew that a storm was coming. He could _feel_ it. Lurking just over the horizon. He had tried to convince himself he was just being paranoid. Unfortunately, his past record could speak for itself. Whenever Cloud Strife had a bad feeling it usually meant trouble for everyone.

He thought that after the whole Deepground event that things could go back to normal, or at least he could finally start living his life the way he wanted. A part of him liked being a hero and finally people were starting to give him the respect he deserved. He was known throughout Edge as the savior of Children. There were other names he had heard in passing as well. Conqueror of the GeoStigma, Slayer of Bahamut, Guardian of the Planet, there were more, but he didn't care to remember them all. There was only one title he wanted and that was Delivery Boy. He was perfectly fine with that.

His delivery service was going strong and Tifa's bar was doing really well. Barret had found enough oil to finally be able to settle down and provide a stable home for Marlene. Cloud would be lying if he said he didn't miss the little girl. She had a lot of common sense for a kid her age and was one of the very few people who could actually make him smile. Now it was just him, Tifa and Denzel living above the Seventh Heaven and it was amazingly quite with just the three.

He could tell Denzel was a bit lonely without a playmate and both he and Tifa had talked about what they could do to make him feel better. This eventually led to Cloud spending more time with the boy, not that he minded. He enjoyed how fast the kid could learn and Cloud had agreed to help him build his own motorcycle when he was old enough. Naturally Denzel's face lit up like the fourth of July and Cloud had to catch himself before falling over. The kid was stronger than he looked. The blonde swordsman had to start getting used to hugs.

Again, he felt it. That twinge of needing to be somewhere. It pricked at the back of Cloud's mind like a sharp thorn. Some sixth sense was telling him where he needed to be. He looked at his cargo, he still had two deliveries to make. Whatever it was could wait until he was done, right? Apparently not. Again that feeling like something big was happening made him slow down. Suddenly that feeling gave him a destination. He was needed at Seventh Heaven. Without hesitating he pulled a sharp U-turn, cutting off another driver who honked their horn at Fenrir as it screamed down the road.

Back at the bar, Tifa was pacing back and forth, the phone held tight in her hands. She had been debating to call Cloud for the past half hour, but she didn't exactly know what to say. He probably wouldn't pick up, but she found herself hesitant. How exactly would she tell him? What was the best way? Was there a correct way? Denzel was still in school so she couldn't practice on him or ask for his opinion. She set down the phone and looked at the paper once again. Reading each line carefully. So many emotions were running wild in her mind she wasn't sure which one to express. Fear, joy, nervousness, excitement, a sudden urge to throw up, another urge to dance and announce it to the world, but then the fear came back when she looked at the phone. It wasn't right for her to be feeling all of this alone, nor was it fair. Part of this was his fault to. He deserved an equal share of the blame.

With a determined look she slapped the papers down on the counter and picked up the phone. Working or not, she was going to tell him. Her finger was less than two inches away from speed dial when the doors burst open.

"Tifa!"

Tifa swiveled her head around to see Cloud standing in the doorway, he had the fusion sword strapped to his back, fully ready to use it if he needed, but what surprised her most was the look in his eyes. Battle-ready and,...was that a hint of fear?

"Cloud? What's wrong?" She secretly prayed that they didn't need to save the world again, though she wouldn't be surprised.

Seeing the bar was still in one piece and Tifa was safe, Cloud relaxed a little. He probably was worried over nothing, but if anything experience had taught him over the years it was that you could never be too careful.

"I...I had a...," he turned his head and mumbled something she couldn't make out.

"You what?" she asked.

"I had a bad feeling. Is everything alright?" There. He said it.

Tifa smiled warmly at him. He could try to pass himself off as a delivery boy all he wanted, but she knew the truth. He was a hero, her hero and now,...he had a new title.

"I'm not sure," she replied.

The worry returned to Cloud's eyes as he approached her. "What's wrong?"

At that moment, all her fear vanished. "Nothing's wrong. Not anymore."

"But something did happen," he replied.

"Yes," she admitted, "something happened. Something wonderful."

And now the swordsman was confused. Tifa giggled.

Cloud let out breath that he hadn't realized he had been holding. "Tifa, tell me what happened...please."

"Well, alright, but only because you said please," she replied. "You might want to sit down though."

He was stubborn and only folded his arms. He wasn't so weak yet that he needed to sit down for every little incident. In fact, Tifa was beginning to annoy him, just a little. Why was she beating around the bush?

"We're...going to have a delivery," she said.

At this Cloud huffed. "I make deliveries all the time, I still have two to deliver today, which I'm now running late because I came back here and what are you laughing at?"

Tifa couldn't help it. She tried, but it was hopeless. "I'm sorry, Cloud, but this is something only I can deliver."

"Tifa, you're not making any sence. I'm very busy, I'm running late and if I don't get these two packages delivered on time I may lose an important client."

Tifa only giggled again causing the blonde to grunt in annoyance. "I'm leaving."

"I'm late too, Cloud."

He turned to ask what she meant when he noticed she was gently rubbing her stomach. Realization slowly began to dawn on him.

Tifa saw his expression shift, similar to how she felt earlier. She saw realization, joy, fear, shock, joy again, fear again until it seemed all emotion faded from him entirely. Perhaps he should have taken up her offer to sit down.

He looked her directly in the eye, "Tifa, are you saying what I think you're saying?"

Tifa smiled and nodded, "Yes, Cloud. I am."

* * *

_An awkward place to stop, I admit, but the next chapter requires it. I'll try to have it updated by the end of the week. There is a poll set up on my profile page which will involve a very important issue with this story. It's one of the details the plot bunny didn't cover and I'm undecided. I'd appreciate it if you voted. ^^  
_


	2. Conflicting Emotions and Pep Talks

_I wanted to thank those who have fav'd/followed/and reviewed so far. And your reviews are awesome. thank you for the wonderful compliments. there are a few things I wanted to clear up. Cloud and Tifa are a couple, but they haven't tied the knot just yet. Also, the day Cloud finds out he's going to be a dad is not on his Birthday. I have something special planned for that day in this story. ;) I also wanted to announce that the results for the votes were unanimous. Everyone wanted Zack and Aerith back, so here they are. So, the storyline will stick closely to canon, but with the twist of those two being alive. I'm glad everyone's enjoying this so far and I hope you enjoy what's to come. also wanted to give a head's up to some slight OOCness in this chapter on Cloud's part, but he just found out he's going to be a Dad. Anyone would be OOC to that kind of news. xD _

* * *

Later that night a swordsman approached the church that still stood in Midgar. He had gotten a worrying phone call and was told that he was the only one who could help. He was the only one in the group that had known Cloud the longest aside from Tifa, so it made sense. Besides, what kind of friend would Zack be if he wasn't there for his favorite chocobo?

As he approached the entrance he noticed the motorcycle confirming he was right about his friend's whereabouts. However, he wasn't prepared for the state his friend was in when he stepped inside.

Zack had never known his friend to panic, well at least not since his early days as a cadet. Now it was almost like he had stepped back in time and the seasoned warrior before him was once again the nervous, fidgety young rookie.

Cloud didn't even notice Zack enter as he paced around the spring that was near the head of the church. He was too busy mumbling to himself. His eyes held a distant look, concluding that while he was physically here, his mind was definitely elsewhere. With Zack's enhanced hearing caught some of what his friend said which only made it that much harder for him not to laugh. His friend was making no sense what-so-ever.

With a look if pure sympathy Zack approached him and placed a gentle hand on the blonde's shoulder. That had been a mistake. The world spun around the raven-haired swordsman until he found himself laying flat on his back with the business end of the Fusion Sword about an inch from his nose.

"Whoa, easy there Spiky, it's just me."

"Zack?" the blonde confirmed before pulling his weapon back. "Don't _DO _that!"

Zack sat up and brushed some dirt off his arm. "Sorry, you usually know when I sneak up from behind. Tifa's been worried about you. You haven't said two words to her since she broke the news to ya."

Cloud sat down on one of the pews and held his head in his hands, running his fingers through his spiky hair. "I know, I'm so horrible!"

Zack's easy-going smirk faded and was replaced with a sense of worry. He got up and sat down next to his friend. "Hey, you should be happy. You're going to be a father!"

"I know, and I'm completely terrified."

Zack blinked in utter confusion. "Scared? What's there to be scared of?"

"I don't know the first thing about being a father. I never had one, what if I mess up? what if I'm too harsh or too easy?"

Zack couldn't help but laugh. This caused his friend to look up at him and Zack stopped when he saw his friend's expression. That look scared the ex-SOLDIER and he instantly felt horrible. If he didn't know better, it looked like his friend was on the verge of tears. Zack had to dispel his friend's worries and fast.

"Cloud, you're going to be a great dad. You shouldn't even be worried."

"How do you know that Zack? I have no experience with raising kids."

"What about Denzel and Marlene? You took care of them pretty well. I wouldn't be surprised if Denzel doesn't think of you as his dad already."

"Denzel and Marlene are older. I mean raising a little kid. I don't know the first thing about toddlers or babies."

Zack let out a loud sigh and shook his head. "Cloud, listen to me. You are going to be fine. Your kid's gonna love you no matter what and I can't promise there won't be bad days. But there will be plenty of good days and I bet they'll be more common."

"You're just saying that to calm me down."

"No, I'm not. Listen to me!" Zack turned Cloud until he was forced to look him in the eye.

"I can say without a doubt that you'll be a great Dad. The perfect Dad for this kid. How do I know? Because I've already seen that you have what it takes!"

"What are you talking about?" Cloud retorted.

"You're one of the strongest fighters I've ever seen, so your kid will feel safe when you're around because you'll always be there to protect them. You're the best friend I've ever had so you'll be the perfect person for them to run to when they're upset and need a shoulder to cry on. You're strict and tough as nails when I have my crazy moments and you never let me get out of hand so you won't be a pushover to the kid, at least, as long as they don't use the puppy eyes on you, but even then you won't make it easy for them. You're smarter than most so helping them with homework will be a breeze and just...just...Dammit Cloud, you're going to be FINE!"

Cloud just stared at his friend. Zack was being dead serious about this. The blonde's gaze drifted downward as he finally managed to get ahold of himself. "I'm sorry,...it's just a lot to take in."

Zack relaxed a bit and let go of his friend's shoulders, "I don't blame you for being scared, but this is a good thing. It's not a doom's day threat. It's an amazing gift, and there's no one I can think of more deserving than you. You're gonna be an awesome father."

Cloud kept his gaze at the floor as a smile slowly appeared. "I'm going to be a father..." He looked up and Zack sighed in relief when he saw the excited smile on his friend's face.

_. . ._

Back at the bar Tifa was at the counter, sitting on a stool and drinking an ice tea which Aerith had poured for her. "If I knew it wasn't gonna harm the little one I'd be getting drunk one right now," she said as she sipped her tea.

Aerith smiled in sympathy for her as she sipped from her own tea. "Zack will find him, don't worry."

"Don't worry?" Tifa asked in a shocked tone. "He didn't even say anything to me. He just turned around and left. He didn't even bother to deliver his last two packages. I had to call the clients and apologize for the delay! Lousy punk. He walks out on me and I still save his ass. I should have let him clean up his own mess." With that she chugged down the rest of her tea, wishing it was liquor.

Aerith merely shook her head as she poured her some more ice tea from the pitcher. "Tifa, you can't blame Cloud for his reaction."

"And why not? He should have scooped me up in his arms or something, not turn on his heel and walce out the door. The worst part is, he's too clueless to know how he made me feel! I swear, if he takes off and goes away again I'll hunt him down and drag him back by his spiky hair kickin' and screamin' if I have to!" And down went another gulp.

Aerith sniffed her glass of tea to make sure it wasn't laced with alcohol. Tifa wasn't exactly acting sober, but then again, she was more than a little hurt, not to mention angry and she couldn't blame her friend for that.

"Tifa, remember your childhood. Did you have a father growing up?"

"Yeah, sure I did," she replied.

"Did Cloud?"

At this Tifa paused as realization hit her like a hard slap in the face. "Oh Gaia, Aerith! That's why he left!" Her forehead hit the counter with a loud 'thunk'. "I'm such an idiot!"

The sound of a motorcycle caught their attention and Tifa frowned when she only heard one, and then a second rumble was heard. The two engines grew louder before the sound cut off, signalling that both had stopped. Aerith only smiled, "See? Leave it to Zack."

Tifa was a bit envious of Aerith. It was so obvious that she and Zack were perfectly made for each other. They never seemed to have any problems, well at least nowhere near the constant issues that Tifa and Cloud seemed to have. It was like there was a different issue every other day. Sometimes Tifa wondered if she really knew Cloud at all. Today had been one of those times.

The door opened and Tifa sighed anxiously as she heard two sets of footsteps enter, however she kept her back turned. Part of her was afraid to look at him.

Zack had stepped to the side next to Aerith, both had agreed to give their friends a little space.

Cloud stood a few feet behind her. "Tifa?"

"It's a little late to take it back, so like it or not, you're stuck with this kid," she replied, pain and spite clear in her tone.

"Then,...I'll consider myself blessed."

Tifa turned then, taken aback by the look in his eyes. His expression was soft, and there was no hiding the joy in his eyes. They seemed to glow, not with mako, but with hope.

"C-cloud? A-are you okay?" she asked.

Before she knew what was happening she was being picked up and spun. Cloud was holding her ever so gently in his arms. "I don't remember the last time I felt like this. You've given me the best gift anyone could ever receive. I have a family again and it's all thanks to you!"

Another pair of footsteps entered the bar and the young boy wondered if he had walked into an alternate reality of if he was still dreaming. "What's going on?" he asked.

Aerith was giggling and Zack couldn't tame his enormous grin, that wasn't too strange. What unnerved Denzel was his two guardians. Tifa's face was bright red as Cloud spun her around in his arms and he was...laughing?

The group turned to look at the kid who seemed completely confused. Cloud set Tifa down and she approached him with a warm smile. "Denzel, sweetheart, we have some wonderful news. I'm going to have a baby!"

Denzel blinked, but his expression was one of worry. "Really?"

Tifa nodded and went to ruffle his hair, but he had taken off up the stairs. A door slammed a moment later. Tifa didn't even try to hide her disappointment. "I thought he'd be excited."

Cloud pinched the bridge of his nose, "I'll take care of it in the morning." Tifa turned around, "What about tonight?"

"I know what his problem is. He's been let down too many times by false promises. If it's on paper then he'll have solid proof. Just, trust me."

Tifa slowly nodded before glancing up at the clock. "Aerith, you and Zack can crash here for the night if you'd like. I have some blankets in the closet if you'd like to sleep on the couch.

Zack glanced over at Aerith, unsure but when she smiled and nodded he helped Tifa pull out a few blankets. Zack gave Aerith the couch while he took the chair. Cloud went upstairs to finish whatever work he could from the day's deliveries as well as schedule earlier deliveries for the two packages that he had missed today.

By the time he was done his two friends were asleep downstairs and Tifa was already in bed. Cloud passed by Denzel's room and sighed when his sharp sense of hearing picked up quiet sobs. _Tomorrow,_ he told himself. He'd make it up to Denzel tomorrow.

Today had been very exhausting and he barely had the energy to take off his shoes and shirt. He crawled into bed next to Tifa who was already asleep. That still didn't stop her from moving. The moment Cloud got settled she turned and clung to him, wrapping her arms around his. Cloud smiled a bit. He found it cute that she had a habit of clinging to things in her sleep. Well, it was cute until she would have nightmares and punch him. This time it seemed her dream was a pleasant one as she was smiling.

"Cloud,..." she whispered, "go get his frisby out of the tree." Cloud huffed at her dream. So she was already seeing a possible glimpse of their future? "mmm, and tell Zack to stop trying to catch it with his teeth."

Cloud covered his mouth with his free hand to stop himself from laughing. The worst part was he could clearly see his friend doing that.

_. . ._

Sometime during the night Denzel had gotten up and headed downstairs. He was careful not to wake anyone. He had stuffed all of his important possessions into his backpack and had made it into the kitchen. He had just wrapped his hand around the doorknob when the light came on. The startled boy turned to see Zack leaning against the door frame with his arms folded.

"Heading out on a secret mission?"

Denzel looked down at his feet, knowing he had been caught and it'd be pointless trying to hide it. "I knew it was too good to be true."

Zack tilted his head, "What'cha mean?"

"I should have known I was just a guest," Denzel replied. "They only took me in because I was sick and Cloud wasn't going to just leave me surrounded by garbage."

"So, you think he's going to leave you now, is that it? Just because he's going to have a kid that means Denzel no longer matters? Think about what you just said. Because it doesn't make any sense."

When Denzel didn't reply Zack motioned for him to sit down. The kid reluctantly took a seat at one of the booths. Zack sat down on the opposite side. "Denzel, just because Cloud's having a kid, it doesn't mean that you're getting replaced. If anything, he's going to need you more than ever."

"Why would he need me?"

"Well, the kid's gonna get a lot of attention from his mom, which means that Cloud will have to spend more time with his delivery business, but that also means he'll need someone to help Tifa while he's away. Besides, the kid's gonna need more than just a mother and father. It's going to need a big brother to look out for it. Teach it things and do other fun stuff, even get into trouble every once in a while."

"You want me to get into trouble with the kid?"

Zack scratched the back of his head. "Well, not exactly, but a little bit of trouble never hurt anyone. Heck I could spend the next two hours tellin' ya all of the trouble me n' Cloud got into when he was a cadet, well I got us into trouble, he was sorta against it. But it was fun. I don't just consider Cloud my best friend. He's my little brother and it's my job to watch out for him and his family. This includes you."

Denzel didn't know what to say. He had always liked Zack, but what he was hearing now was overwhelming. "Please don't run away, Denzel. It wouldn't be the same around here without you. We need you."

Denzel looked up at Zack with tears in his eyes and nodded. "Okay."

After making sure the kid was alright, Zack got him something to drink and sent him back up to bed. With an accomplished nod, Zack headed back to the chair to sleep. He saw Aerith smiling at him. Zack just smiled cheerfully at her and pulled the covers over him to sleep.


	3. Making It Official

_I really don't know where this update came from. I was trying to write an update for "Strife: SG-1", but as I started typing this was what came out of it. I was on a roll and decided to just go with the flow and this is the end result. I hope it didn't come out as sappy, but even so, I was still grinning like an idiot towards the end. xD _

* * *

The next morning saw Cloud back on the road. He had left an extra two hours earlier than normal to make up time for yesterday's surprise. Thankfully, both clients had been very understanding when he explained it was an urgent family matter. As he went about delivering today's jobs he tried to digest what his friend had told him earlier that morning.

He still couldn't believe when Zack had told him that Denzel almost ran away. Cloud was more determined now than ever to stop by the office where he had managed to get an appointment. It was right after the lunch hour when he pulled up and parked Fenrir near the front door. The lady at the front desk saw him through the window and automatically felt a little nervous. She had seen her fair share of people come in and request forms, but it was the ones dressed in such a way as Cloud was that had her on edge.

Black clothes, Leather gloves, dark sunglasses, that motorcycle that looked like it could reach dangerously high speeds. But what had her on edge most was the enormous sword strapped to his back. It was true that people had a right to protect themselves, what with monster attacks and the recent events that had taken place in Edge and the ruins of Midgar, but she had her doubts that he had come for such an innocent reason as many other recipients.

Her nervous expression didn't escape Cloud's notice as he entered the building, but he tried to be polite. He was used to people misjudging him. "Is this where I fill out the forms?" he asked politely.

The woman merely shook her head, "No sir, this is just to sign in. The director will hand you the forms once you've been called in." With that said she handed him the clipboard to sign in.

He signed his name and with a "Thank you," sat down in the waiting room. The woman still had her doubts, but at least he didn't seem as bad as she originally thought.

Over an hour had passed and Cloud was getting just a little impatient. Three other people had been called in ahead of him, but two of them had come in after he had. Did they simply pass over him? What was the reason? He had one last delivery to make for the day and he hated being late two days in a row, different client or not. Finally after another twenty minutes he couldn't take it any longer and approached the front desk.

"Mam?" he asked politely, "Is this going to take much longer? I have to get back to work."

She looked up and swallowed back her nerves. She had skipped him on purpose to watch him. To make sure he wasn't what she had feared. She had to admit, first appearances aside, he was polite and he had a kind face. The director did seem have a better judgement than she did so she finally gave in and nodded. "Just a moment, please."

He went to sit back down and true to her word, he only waited another two minutes before finally being called to the director's office. The room was surprisingly clean, with white tile floors and fancy book shelves filled with large hard covers. It was like being in a doctor's office and a lawyer's office at the same time. A strange and uncomfortable feeling, but Cloud was focused and calm, remembering why he was here to begin with.

The woman turned in her seat and met his gaze. She had reddish-brown hair, tied into a braid that hung over her shoulder and came down to her elbow. "So, Mr. Cloud Strife," she said while looking at the name on the sheet, "I apologize for keeping you waiting so long, but you understand we have to look over past records."

"Can't be too careful," he replied in understanding.

"My assistant was a little concerned by your arrival. A motorcycle isn't the safest way to travel and your weapon is also a concern. Her first impression was that you were a thug."

She was pleased by his sudden reaction. A raised eye brow and a purely confused look, that reminded her of a child. "A...a thug?" he asked.

"Yes," she replied, "but don't hold it against her, it's her job to make such assumptions and worry for the safety of others. Please, have a seat so we can begin."

Cloud removed the sword from his back and set it leaning against the bookshelf before taking a seat in front of the expensive-looking desk.

She pulled up what little information she had been able to find. "There isn't much about you that our records were able to dig up, Mr. Strife. I'm hoping you can help fill in the blanks."

"Hope I can too,"

"What was that?" she asked.

"Nothing," Cloud hated having a fogged memory. Even after all this time there were still so many holes that he was afraid it wouldn't enough to settle this. Maybe he should have let Tifa do it, but this was something he wanted to do. Something he felt he had to do.

"It says here, you were born in a small town called Nibelhiem, but our records show it had been destroyed when the mako reactor went critical. Did you sustain any lasting injuries, either physical or emotional?"

Cloud had to bite his lip from laughing at the irony of her question. He had been so scarred from that day it was pathetic and hilarious. But, he tried to keep his answer simple and as honest as he could. "It was a bit traumatizing to see my home go up in flames, but I've come to terms with it. There was nothing I could have done to make a difference, considering I was only a young teenager at the time. As for physical injuries, I was struck by a sharp metal object that hit my chest, but there's nothing more than a scar now. It doesn't bother me."

"I see," she replied as she wrote down something on an official-looking paper before looking over at the next bit of information. "And it says here that you were once in the Shinra military, as an infantryman. It also says that you tried for the SOLDIER program, but lacked the requirements."

"Not everyone is cut out for SOLDIER," he replied casually.

She glanced over at the weapon leaning against her bookshelf while considering what he said as she continued. "It also says you went missing in action and some reports listed you among the dead. Care to tell me what happened?"

Cloud pondered over how to explain before the obvious answer came to him. "There was a misunderstanding with my records while I was on a mission with my troop. We were caught by surprise and myself and another were taken. It took a while, but we managed to escape. We made it back, but the correct records were in Shinra when Midgar was destroyed. The reports hadn't had a chance to be replaced before then."

"I see," she replied while writing down more. "Any mental or physical injuries from that incident?"

Cloud just smirked, "No, the other person who had been captured with me was pretty optimistic about the whole thing. He always managed to keep us in good spirits. I wouldn't have made it out if not for him."

After hearing that, the director let out a barely audible sigh of relief before erasing what she had just written and replaced it with something else. "And now it says you run your own business. How is that going?"

That reminded Cloud of the time as he looked up at the clock. "I'm actually behind schedule for today, but coming here was more than worth being late if it meant making it official. Tifa and I have talked about it a few times and every time we weren't sure if he'd be happy. That was what I wanted most. The kid's already had a rough life and he doesn't need more disappointment, but after the news I got yesterday, I'm more than certain that this is what we want."

"We?" she repeated.

"Tifa already had her heart set on it and to be honest, I wasn't sure until last night. I didn't realize how much it meant to him, but it's clear that this is something he needs. Someone he can count on, to look up to, but more importantly he needs someone who understands him. I won't deny that I've had a rough past, but so has he and that is what helps us bond. If something is wrong or if he's going through something he'll come to me because he knows I'll understand and I'll help him get through it."

She had stopped writing at some point, though she didn't exactly know when and just simply stared at him. His eyes were determined and completely sincere. She found herself in awe at the man sitting before her. With absolute certainty she pulled out her drawer, signed her name, wrote down the new name and then handed the form over to him with her pen.

"Sign here."

He read over the form first before signing his name at the bottom. She always liked this part most. Every person had their own emotion and ways to deal with it when signing a paper like this, but his was unique, like everything else about him. His smile was like that of a child who had just been given the greatest gift on Christmas morning. His eyes had a certain sparkle to them and she smiled in turn when he handed the form back to her.

"Please wait a moment while I make a copy." She took a few more minutes than needed, to think over all of the information that he had freely admitted to. Sure he had his faults, but then who didn't? If he could go through such events and still be this...pleasant, she didn't have a single doubt in her mind that she was doing the right thing. He even had nice hand-writing to boot.

When she returned she found him reading one of the books on her shelf, but it was a book she had forgotten she had. He probably stumbled upon it while retrieving his sword, but none the less, he was flipping through the pages of _LOVELESS_. With a shrug, she figured nothing should surprise her about this man anymore. He had a good character and that was what mattered. He noticed her coming and put the book back in its place.

"Thank you for your patience. The machine can be a bit sluggish at times," she said as she handed him his copy.

"It's fine," he replied politely. He looked at the form once more before carefully folding it and putting in in his pocket.

As he made his way out of the door and past the front desk the woman from before made to get his attention. "Sir, you need to schedule another appointment-"

"-He won't be needing it," came the voice of the director. When the woman gave her a strange look the director only smiled. "You don't have to worry about him, they'll be just fine."

The woman looked at her, a bit worried, but signed when the man took off on his bike, not looking back. She still had slight doubts, but if the director trusted him, then he couldn't be all bad. She hadn't been wrong yet.

_. . ._

Later that afternoon Cloud had just returned from a longer trip than he had planned. Once he had delivered his last order of the day an emergency delivery was requested from him by the mayor of the town he had stopped at for a bite to eat. Two towns and several monster battles later it had been delivered and he had made it home.

He wanted nothing more than to kick off his shoes and crawl into bed for a nice long nap. The arrival of Yuffie however, ruined any chances of that. She bounded up and practically flung herself at him, wrapping her arms around his shoulders.

"CONGRATULATIONS CLOUDY! You're gonna be a DAD! That is SO AWESOME!"

Cloud winced at the volume of her voice which had a high pitch to it. "Yuffie, have you been drinking again? You're not even old enough yet."

She slapped him on the shoulder. "No! Ya big meanie! I'm just so happy, I get to be an auntie!"

"And what gave you that idea?"

"Oh c'mon Cloud. I'll be a good aunt! I'll be responsible, and help take care of it and babysit and we'll have slumber parties and makeovers and talk about boys-"

"Yuffie."

"-and share our deepest secrets, and draw on the walls,-"

"Yuffie."

"-and eat junk food until we puke and dye Cid's favorite shirt pink and,"

"YUFFIE!"

The ninja princess winced and covered her ears when the blonde bellowed her name. "Sheesh! You don't have to shout, I'm right here."

Cloud sighed in frustration as he pinched the bridge of his nose. "The baby hasn't even been born yet and no one knows if it'll be a girl or a boy, and most of what you just mentioned should wait until they're a teenager at the earliest and even then I wouldn't let them do half of the things you just said."

"What about the other half?" she asked hopefully.

"I'm just going to pretend I didn't hear it."

"Aww, you're no fun," she pouted. Something else he said made her curious. "So, don't you want to know what it'll be? Do you want a boy or a girl?"

"As long as it's healthy, it doesn't matter to me. I'll love them the same no matter what."

Yuffie was surprised he had been so open about his answer.

"Have you seen Denzel?" he asked.

Yuffie nodded and jerked a thumb over her shoulder. "He's playing a card game with the others."

Cloud made his way past her and into the living room where Denzel was just laying down his hand. "Full House!" he called as Zack's jaw dropped. "Aw man! That's twice you've beaten me!"

Aerith giggled as she nudged the ex -SOLDIER, "Fear not, I shall avenge you." She laid down her hand. "Royal Flush."

Zack cheered and Denzel snapped his fingers in defeat. "Dang! Almost had a perfect score, too."

Cloud smiled at the scene before he noticed Zack shuffling the deck again, getting ready for another game. "Hey, Denzel, you got a minute?"

The boy looked over his shoulder at Cloud before hesitantly getting up to follow. Zack gave Aerith a confused look while the flower girl just smiled warmly.

Cloud passed by Yuffie who was trying to cook up some toast. "Please don't burn the house down," he asked.

"Hey, I know how to make toast, thank you!"

"I've seen you burn water," the swordsman replied.

Yuffie blew up her cheeks with a furious pout as she took out her anger on the food. Denzel couldn't help but snicker as he hurried after his guardian who was heading into the garage.

_. . ._

Denzel was a bit nervous and Cloud couldn't blame him, he was nervous too, but for a different reason. The blonde kept his back turned to the kid before asking what was on his mind.

"Are you upset?" he asked.

Denzel held his arm nervously while looking at the floor. "I...was a little," he muttered quietly.

An annoyed sigh came from his guardian who slowly shook his head. "Please be honest, you're not in trouble."

Denzel swallowed and nodded slowly. "Yeah, I was. I thought...I felt like I was being replaced, but then I forgot that I wasn't really part of this family. I mean, you helped me and I'm grateful, but it's not like I was related and I just...I just..."

He bit his lip in order to stop any tears that threatened to fall. He was not about to cry in front of the person he looked up to most, but it became harder as he held his head in shame. that is until a strong, yet gentle hand grasped his shoulder.

"Denzel," Cloud knew that the kid had taken the news wrong, but he didn't know it had affected him this much. That made what he was about to do all the more special. "Look at me."

The boy slowly lifted his head and struggled with everything he had not to break down. He saw the look in Cloud's eyes. This was it, he was going to get the truth that there wasn't enough room for him and he'd be sent away, maybe to live with Marlene, but it still wouldn't be the same. He wanted to run, but Cloud's strong grip kept him rooted to the spot.

Cloud got down on one knee to be eye level with the boy. "Look at me," he repeated.

Denzel did and the swordsman felt horrible that the kid seemed so afraid. "No matter what's happened, you have always belonged here. We've all had a hard time dealing with recent events and it hasn't been easy, but we're just starting to recover. No matter what you think you've always been apart of this family...it just hasn't been official," He took out the piece of paper that had been tucked safety in his pocket and handed it to him. "Until now."

Denzel took the paper and unfolded it before reading through his tear-blurred vision. There were a few words he didn't understand, but he recognized phrases such as 'Legal guardianship' and 'parental care', but it was when he got to the bottom that his vision became worse and he had to read it out loud.

"We hereby award the care of the child to Cloud Strife and legally recognize him by his new name:...Denzel _Strife_."

With eyes full of unshed tears, Denzel looked up at Cloud who was smiling, it was a small smile, but it was enough to him. Denzel flung himself into Cloud's arms and cried. The swordsman gently rubbed the boy's back. "It's about time you had a permanent family."

"Thank you!" Denzel said through his tears, "I swear, you won't regret it. I'll be the best son, I promise!"

"Just be yourself. That's all I ask," Cloud replied shaking his head.

Denzel couldn't stop the tears from falling. The paper Cloud had given him - no, the _gift _he had given him was more than he could ever ask for. "Th-thank you..._Dad_."

That word struck trough Cloud like a bullet to the heart and the weight of the entire event hit him like a ton of bricks, but it was a good feeling. He hugged Denzel back and found himself unable to stop smiling. "Heh, that's going to take some getting used to."


	4. Home Sick

_I really have no idea if someone with mako can get a cold, it just really worked with the chapter and seemed like something that is very possible to happen to someone who overworks themselves. I made it work as best as I could, plus it gave me a chace to write more for other characters which I needed to get used to. I've been writing for Cloud a lot lately and the guy could use the break. xD_

_Enjoy!_

* * *

Three weeks had passed since that day and Denzel had been in a cheerful mood ever since. Cloud had been gone a lot, but it was the busy time of year and there were new delivery orders coming in every day. A few times he had considered not working for a while to take care of Tifa who had her own battles to fight with morning sickness. It was Aerith to the rescue when she offered to stay with Tifa and help take care of things. Cloud protested, but Denzel also offered to help which finally convinced the swordsman he was over-reacting. He was the father-to-be after all, so it was only natural.

After a few days of trying to make it work, both Cloud and Denzel agreed that it was weird for the boy to address him as 'Dad', so they stuck with a first name basis. It wasn't weird, sure Marlene called Barret dad, but she was younger. Besides, even though it was awkward, it didn't change the fact that Cloud was his dad now and he couldn't be happier.

'Uncle' Zack sure made things entertaining. While Aerith helped Tifa with the house work the ex-SOLDIER helped out with the bar. Breaking up any scuffles between drunkards (which were thankfully few), and taking orders while she served the drinks. He was starting to get the hang of cooking and hadn't really burnt anything since that first time when he turned on the wrong burner and didn't realize it.

By the time Cloud would get home it was late and he was always so tired. One night he came home and Tifa was closing up the bar early that she noticed something was up with him. She had asked him what was wrong, but he waved it off as fatigue. That didn't help ease her worries, but she wasn't about to pressure him into telling her.

A few days later she got up to do her normal morning routine. When she got out of the shower and went over to her nightstand to get her brush that she had forgotten to take in with her she noticed Cloud still hadn't gotten up. She knew something was wrong then. He was normally the first one up and pretty much gone by the time she was awake.

"Cloud, it's getting late," she said, gently shaking his arm, but he didn't stir. She was getting concerned now and her eyes grew wide with worry as she felt his forehead. "You're burning up!"

Twenty minutes later Tifa was starting to doubt whether she had done the right thing. True she had to call someone, but the person she called had a reputation for over-reacting. Something she started to wonder if she had done herself. A fever wasn't necessarily an emergency, but he hadn't been sick like this since...well, she couldn't really remember when. It had been a very long time, she knew that much.

True to his word, Zack was there in less than twenty minutes, which meant he had gone well over the speed limit. Aerith, who had gone back to staying with Zack since Tifa had seemed to finally have tamed her morning sickness, had also come along.

The ex-SOLDIER seemed surprisingly calm, which didn't make Tifa feel any better. If he was calm did that mean that the problem was worse than she thought? Cloud hadn't moved much except to turn from his side and lay on his back when Tifa had laid a cool washcloth over his forehead.

Zack checked his temperature and retracted his hand, only to shake his head. "You've been pushing yourself too hard," he told him, "When was the last time you ate a full meal?" he asked.

"Four days ago," Cloud replied.

"Four days?!" the older warrior repeated. "Jeez, no wonder you're sick! Just because you have mako doesn't mean you can keep going and going. You need to keep your strength up, especially now when Tifa needs you. Now she can't come near you until your fever breaks."

Aerith was listening just outside the door with Tifa and had her ear pressed against the door. "What's so funny?" asked the mother-to-be.

"Oh nothing, I'm just glad to know Zack's been paying attention when I lecture him," she replied. "He's not holding back either."

Tifa nodded in understanding, "When it comes to Cloud sometimes putting things in their most extreme is the only way to get through to him."

Aerith fully agreed as she leaned her ear back against the door to listen in.

"Oh don't give me that!" shouted Zack. "So what if your clients have to wait an extra thirty minutes or so, you still gotta eat. You keep this up and you'll really burn yourself out. You're lucky this time. You were home when the fever set in, but what about next time? What will you do when you collapse on the road or in the middle of the wastelands? You'll be a sitting chocobo for any wandering monster looking for an easy meal."

"Yes _mother_~," Cloud replied flatly. It was annoying when his best friend turned into a mother hen, but he was right, they all were. He had been pushing himself too hard, but the Gil he earned had been worth it. "I don't see why Tifa has to keep her distance. It's not like I'm contagious."

"Do you really want to risk it? What if it's not just fatigue?" asked Zack.

Cloud had to admit he was right, damn it. He hated it when Zack made sense. That still didn't solve his problem. "What about the deliveries? I can't just hold them off until I recover. There are five orders for today alone."

"Well, I could take over, just until you're feeling better," Zack told him.

"You think you can handle it?"

Zack laughed, "I used to command top class missions. I think I can handle a few simple deliveries."

Cloud started to chuckle, his friend had no idea what he was getting himself into, but his laughter soon turned into a coughing fit and he was forced to lay back and relax. He hated taking it easy. Being stuck in bed was going to drive him crazy. He was used to being on the move and doing things. Today was going to suck.

Once downstairs Zack had gathered Tifa, Aerith and Denzel into the closed bar to discuss the issue at hand. "So, this is the plan," he started as he pointed to Denzel, "you an' me are gonna run the delivery business while Aerith stays here to help Tifa manage things and take care of Cloud." Zack glanced over at Tifa, "I know you want to go in and see him, but aiding on the side of caution you need to keep your distance until his fever breaks. Aerith," he turned to her, "Make sure to keep an eye on her."

Aerith giggled as she replied, "Yes sir!" she added with a mock salute. Zack shook his head. "I'm trying to be serious; Tifa can't afford to get sick."

"I know Zack, relax. Everything will be fine here. You just worry about delivering those packages on time."

Zack proudly pounded his chest with his hand, "No problem, we can handle anything, right Denzel?" The boy looked up with a smile. "Yeah!"

_**. . .**_

A few hours later Aerith had gone upstairs to check on Cloud. She brought up a bowl of soup that Tifa had made along with a fresh cool washcloth for his head. She poked her head inside first to see if he was asleep when she saw him covering his eyes with his arm. She entered and set the bowl on the night stand. "Are you in pain?"

"I shouldn't have let Zack take my place," he replied.

"He'll be fine," she replied with a smile. "Denzel went with him, so you don't have to worry."

Cloud shook his head as she took the older cloth from him, "You don't get it, one of the deliveries was to Gongaga. He hasn't been home in years."

"Gongaga, isn't that the town where the mako reactor blew on its own?"

Cloud nodded. "The first time we were there I ran into Zack's parents and they asked me if I knew him. I don't know why I said no, but they were upset back then because he hadn't spoken to them or even written to them in years since he first left for Midgar."

Aerith placed the cool cloth on his forehead and smiled, "He'll be fine. I won't say that it might not trouble him, but if it's been this long I'm sure his parents will be so happy that they won't worry about what happened in the past."

"I hope you're right," he replied as she got up to leave. Aerith stopped in the doorway, "Tifa made you some soup if you feel like eating." He looked over to the bowl on the night stand and nodded his thanks.

"Don't worry Cloud, everything will work out for the better, you'll see." With that she left, carefully closing the door behind her. Cloud waited until he couldn't hear her retreating footsteps before pulling out his phone and decided to call Zack. Maybe if he was lucky his friend hadn't gotten that far out yet.

_**. . .**_

Zack had just delivered the second package when he and Denzel stopped for a lunch break. The two had made good time after that first little hiccup. Zack had gotten the packages mixed up and gave the first client the wrong one. They were half-way to their next stop when Denzel realized their mistake. "I knew bringing you along was a good idea! I couldn't do it without ya, kiddo!" He said with a grin as he handed Denzel his lunch.

"Wow, ice cream for lunch? Tifa would have a fit if she found out," the kid replied.

Zack just waved it off with his hand, "Ah, forget it, you're a kid, you gotta pig out with junk food every once in a while or life's not as much fun!"

Denzel chuckled as he took a bite. "Mmmm, this is good."

Zack nodded in agreement before holding his forehead, "Yeah, until you get a brain freeze." The two ate their ice cream in silence before Zack noticed the kid was smiling. "What's got you so cheery?"

Denzel looked up at him and the smile never left his face, "You were right; that night when you stopped me from taking off. To be honest, I was still worried after I went to bed and then when Cloud wanted to talk to me the next day I got scared, I thought that I was gonna be sent away to live with Marlene, but I never expected him to do that for me, making me a part of his family. That's something I'll never forget and I promise I'll make him proud. I'll bring honor to the Strife name!"

Zack listened to the kid, he had known for a while that Cloud wanted to adopt him and the swordsman had brought it up again when Zack had gone to talk to him at the church, but to hear the kid's side of the story really made him want to laugh at the irony. Neither one of them knew it, but they were on the same page. What made Zack smile however was the word honor. Casting a glance at the sword strapped to the side of his bike, Zack nodded back towards Denzel. "I have no doubts that you'll make your dad proud."

Denzel finished his ice cream shortly after and looked at the map. Ever since the first incident, Zack had entrusted him with the map while he made sure every delivery went to the right costumer. "So, what's the next stop?"

Denzel peered at the handwriting; it was hard to understand Cloud's fancy handwriting sometimes. "It looks like...Gon...Gonga...I can't make it out."

"Lemme see that," Zack said as he stuck the ice cream spoon in his mouth and took the delivery list. "Our next stop is Gongaga..."

The spoon fell out of his open mouth. Denzel looked at him with concern, "You okay?"

Zack lowered the list and stared off into the distance, "That's my hometown."

Denzel smiled, "Good, then you'll know your way around. Our next stop should be easy and you can say hi to anyone you know."

Zack wasn't as excited as Denzel believed he was, though he tried not to show how much he _DIDN'T _want to go there. _"Oh why'd Spiky have to be sick now? Stubborn chocobo!" _he thought as he got into the driver's seat of the bike while Denzel climbed into the sidecar.

The ride to Gongaga was slow, Zack was stalling, he wouldn't deny it. He hadn't meant to go so long without contacting his parents and he hoped they didn't think he was dead. Maybe he'd get lucky and they wouldn't see him? No, his town was so small that everyone knew each other and there was no way he'd get away with not seeing them. Even if they didn't see him, someone else would and they'd tell them. He'd _really_ look bad then. He just hoped that they'd forgive him.

Gongaga came up much too fast for Zack's liking. He wasn't ready yet, then again he had several years to get ready and he still hadn't worked up the courage. With a heavy sigh he realized that it was now or never. Turning out from the forest and into the dirt road that lead into town Zack pulled the motorcycle over a few feet from the entrance into town. The two dismounted the bike and Zack took in the familiar sight. He was still nervous, but it felt so good to be home. He looked over to the three remaining packages and pulled out the one that was to be delivered next and handed it to Denzel.

"Here, I can count on you to deliver this one on your own, right? You are a Strife after all."

Denzel smiled as he took the package in his arms, "Yeah, I got it."

"Good, I'll meet you back here. I gotta pay someone a short visit." With that Zack headed off towards the other side of town while Denzel headed the other way.

As he headed closer and closer to his old home, Zack was trying to stay calm. They were his parents after all, sure they might be a little upset, but they would always love him just as he loved them. As his old home came into view he smiled and found himself breaking into a run. He was overcome by nostalgia. It was just like being a kid again and running home after spending the day playing in the surrounding woods.

He stopped in front of the door and took a deep breath. _"Please,...don't be mad at me."_ Was his only thought as he opened the door and stepped inside.

The room was pretty dark, except for the open window. The slow-spinning fan in the ceiling was helping the air to circulate and was the only thing to make a sound as he stepped into the middle of the room. He took in every inch of the room. Every corner held its own memory and Zack gladly lost himself in every one of them. All those times spent leaning against the kitchen counter, waiting for his mother's cookies to cool off enough for him to swipe one when she wasn't looking, sticking his fingers in the cake batter only to get his hand swatted by her baking spoon, the time when he had hopped home after being turned into a frog by a monster and she used a maiden's kiss to change him back. He still had a craving for flies a week after it happened, or so he made her believe. Zack chuckled at the memories. He was so lost in the past that he didn't notice someone sneaking up behind with something in her hands.

Something painfully familiar struck him in the back of the head as he winced and rubbed the back of his head. "I don't know who you think you are, bargin' into someone's home, but you got two seconds to get out before I hit ya again!"

Zack turned slowly and could only smile as he met his mother's eyes. "Mom, it's me."

Mrs. Fair held tight to her trusted baking spoon as she took in his features. Those gentle, curious eyes, that bright smile, that hair...she raised her hand up and brushed that long set of bangs out of his face, "Zack? You need a haircut. I didn't recognize you with such long, scruffy hair."

Zack whimpered, "Aww, but I like it this way, it's kinda grown on me." They both laughed until he noticed she had started crying. He took his hand and wiped away her tears before pulling her into a hug. "I'm sorry; I didn't mean to stay away for so long."

Mrs. Fair just shook her head while hugging him tighter, "You have nothing to apologize for, we were just so worried. We heard about what happened to the city and feared you had died. Then when the meteor hit, I...I had given up all hope."

Zack fought back tears of his own, "A meteor, do me in? Pfft, not in a million years! Throw anything at me, crazy warriors, psycho scientists, space rocks, a thousand troops, nothing can beat me. I'm too stubborn to kick the bucket."

His mother just laughed, "You always come up with the craziest stories, Zachary."

Zack chuckled, if only she knew. He looked around the room before looking down at her, still in his arms. "Where's Dad?"

"He's working in another town and comes home every other week. He'll be happy to know you're alright. Would you like something to eat? You're so big and strong now; I'll bet your appetite has grown quite a bit, hasn't it?"

Zack gave her a sad smile, "I'm sorry, but I can't stay. I'm doing a favor for a friend who's sick."

"Oh," she replied with concern. "It's not bad I hope?"

"Nah, he just went and overworked himself and caught a fever. He'll be okay in a day or two. I'm just helping him deliver some packages for his delivery business."

Hearing this, she headed over to what Zack affectionately knew as the Nurse's cupboard. Inside it was all of the medicines and remedies for several kinds of inflictions and ailments. Zack spent many times sitting on the counter or at the table while she searched for the right cure for whatever he had. She found what she had been looking for and brought it down, closing the cupboard behind her. "Here, tell him to mix this in a broth and it'll help him recover a lot faster."

"Thanks Mom. I'm sure he'll appreciate it." Zack wondered why he seemed so nervous before. He should have known better. "Hey, I tell you what, when my friends can get some time off I'll bring them all here for a nice visit and we'll stay for a few days. Sound good?"

She smiled as she looked fondly at him, "That sounds wonderful, sweetheart. I look forward to it, please let me know ahead of time so I can prepare a nice meal for everyone and I'll make sure your father will also be here."

"Awesome! I can't wait." He turned to leave, but stopped in the open doorway. Before he was hesitant to come, now he didn't want to leave. His mother came up right behind him. "Why don't I see you off?" With a grateful smile he led her towards the spot where he had parked his motorcycle.

Denzel was leaning against the bike when they arrived. "Hey, I was starting to get worried, who's that?"

"This is my mom, Mom; this is Denzel, my best friend's son."

"Well, adopted son," Denzel corrected him as he reached out his hand for a handshake, "It's nice to meet you ma'am."

She smiled brightly at the boy, "Adopted or not, doesn't really matter. It's what matters in your heart my dear boy and please, call me Cassie." She took his hand and pulled him into a hug which he returned. Zack looked at the time on his phone and let his shoulder sag a bit. "I'm sorry Mom, but we really got hit the road if we want to make these last deliveries on time."

"I understand, sweetheart. Just don't be a stranger; you're always welcome home anytime." She reached up and kissed him on the forehead before he got onto the bike and Denzel climbed into the side car. "Wild Chocobos couldn't keep me away." With that, Zack saluted her with a big grin as he revved up the bike and took off.

As they made their way out of the forest surrounding his hometown Zack heard his phone ring. Pulling over he cut the engine and looked at the caller ID. With a smirk he flipped the phone open, "Hey, you feelin' any better?" Denzel looked up towards the phone, wondering what was up.

"_I just remembered that one of the deliveries today was for Gongaga. You don't have to go there if you don't want to. I'll worry about the delivery being late later."_

Zack smiled as he replied, "its okay. I just left there. Denzel delivered the package while I paid my mother a visit. Boy was she happy to see me. She gave me something to give to you and invites us all to come pay her a visit when you're feeling better and you guys can get some time off."

"_Sounds good, I'm glad everything turned out alright."_ Cloud pulled away from the phone as he coughed again.

Zack shook his head, "Still not feelin' any better, huh?"

"_Not really."_

"Alright, I'll let you get some rest. We'll be back in a few more hours so no more worrying about me, okay? Later Spiky."

"_Mhm, bye." _With that Cloud hung up as did Zack and put the phone back in his pocket.

As he headed out again he looked down at Denzel, "You okay over there?" the boy looked up from the map towards him. "Yeah, I just feel sorry for Cloud, laying in bed all day. He can't even see Tifa until he gets better."

"Well, maybe now he'll focus on taking better care of himself and not get so overworked again," Zack replied. "I hate to be harsh, but sometimes that's the only way to deal with the stubborn ones and he's as stubborn as they come."

"Must have gotten it from his best friend," the boy replied with a smirk.

Zack nodded, "Yeah, probabl-hey!"

Denzel just laughed.


End file.
